Christmas Shoes
by Ceara Ivory
Summary: Vernon Dursley learns a little Christmas lesson this year


Christmas Shoes

Written by Chibikan

Inspired by Newsong's "Christmas Shoes"

Summary: Vernon Dursley gets a Christmas lesson from a small boy.

It was the day before Christmas, and Vernon Dursley was at a small shop in London, making a few last minute gift purchases for his son and lovely wife. He had been having a bad week, and to be honest he didn't think he could handle this last night of crowds and endless traffic. But he knew, that Dudley would throw a fit if he didn't get that new videogame, and that Petunia deserved that diamond and sapphire bracelet she'd had her eyes on for the past month. He was just selecting the videogame Dudley wanted when a small ragamuffin rushed past him, past the games to the rack of shoes near by. Vernon chuckled, remembering how he would always wait until the last minute to get his mother and sister the perfect gifts. He watched as the boy picked out a sparkling pair of red heels. He noticed the boy's clothing, simple, torn in places, probably from tripping or something. The boy's sneakers were falling apart as he grabbed the red heels in their box and hurried to the checkout, with the gift huddled under his arm. He was probably trying to keep the receiver from seeing it. He shook his head and took the game and his other purchases up to the checkout as well. The boy though, was a step ahead of him. Damn, he thought, now it's more waiting. And he hated to wait. He saw the boy put the shoes on the counter. The clerk, a kindly old man, looked back at the boy.

"Can I help you, young sir?" The man asked, a smile on his elderly face.

Vernon couldn't help but overhear the boy's words.

"Sir, please, I'd like to buy these shoes. It's Christmas Eve, and they're for my Mama, they're just her size too. Please sir, we gotta hurry. My da says there's not much time. My mama's really sick, she has been for a long time. I just want to give her these shoes, I know they'll make her smile. I want her to look beautiful. Because she might meet Jesus tonight." The boy rambled on, as he dug out his big bag of change and dumped it onto the counter for the man to count.

Vernon waited for several minutes as the man and boy counted the money, piece by piece. And he could practically feel the boy's disappointment when the clerk told him, that there wasn't enough there to buy the shoes. The boy began to cry and turned to Vernon, talking in a sad voice, like little boys did when they were upset.

"Mama, she made Christmas good at our house. We didn't ever have a lot, but…..it was good, just the same." The boy began to sob harder. "What am I gonna do? I have to buy her these shoes…."

Vernon found himself caught in confusion. He couldn't possibly consider helping a strange boy. How could the boy's parents teach him to be so bold as to ask for money for something as trivial as a pair of fancy shoes. But then, something the boy had said echoed in his head. "_She might meet Jesus tonight._" Good God, this boy was losing his mother. And all he wanted was to give his mother one last gift, to make her smile and look pretty. Making a decision he pulled out his wallet and laid the money for the shoes into the clerk's hand. The boy's eyes seemed to light up with gratitude and renewed hope.

"Oh, sir, thank you, so much, Mama's gonna look so great!" The boy took the shoes excitedly. He went to the door hurriedly. "Thank you sir, thank you!" He continued to thank Vernon as he left.

Vernon felt a surge of emotion run through him. He could swear that this is what heaven's love looked like and he knew that nothing he could give would seem adequate anymore. He looked at the game that he had been planning to get Dudley. He realized, perhaps, this game might a little on the mature side for Dudley, a little too violent. He'd already been getting reports from Smeltings, that Dudley was a bully to the other kids. And though he never admitted it, always said that Dudley would never hurt a fly, he knew the teachers wouldn't lie about that. And he had seen how Dudley treated those, especially those weaker than himself. He went and put the game back on the shelf. Maybe when Dudley could prove himself mature enough to handle that kind of game. He instead picked out a set of classic books that any other boy would love to read. After he looked at the bracelet he was getting Petunia. It didn't seem enough. This was a woman who he had been married to for nearly twenty years. She was worth more than just a bracelet. He went back to the jewelry counter and selected a matching necklace and earrings. Then he remembered someone else, someone he always seemed to overlook on Christmas. His nephew Harry, was someone that he never cared for much. He always thought the boy to be a freak, for that's…what he was, in his eyes. Harry was a wizard and went to school far away. But, even though, he claimed to hate the boy, how would he feel if something were to happen to him. Would he feel bad, for not trying to care for the child sooner. He knew the Boy went through some traumatizing events at that school, every year. Why, just this last summer, the boy's godfather had died. And yet he would never come to either he (Vernon) or Petunia, or even to Dudley, for comfort. They had never given the boy a hint that they would be willing to help. And now, thinking about it, he just might be willing. Sighing he went back browsing, finally selecting a book on birds (he knew the boy loved his owl to death) and a nice Christmas card.

At home, after everyone was asleep and he had finished wrapping the last gifts, he was trying to figure out how to get Harry his gift and card. He then heard some flapping at the window. He looked and saw the boy's owl. Apparently, the owl had known he wanted to give something to the boy. The owl flew over and took the wrapped package for Harry, by the bow, with the card taped to it. Vernon hesitantly put out a hand and scratched the bird's head.

"You….take that to him." Vernon asked the bird tentatively. He knew the owl, whatever it's name was, didn't like him too much.

The snowy owl seemed to nod and flew back to the window, with the parcel, and then out the window towards Hogwarts.

The next morning, Harry woke up in his bed, with Ron shaking him.

"Come on mate, it's Christmas! Get up, we got presents to open!" The redhead shouted.

Harry laughed as Ron attempted to PULL him from the mattress. "Okay, okay, I'm up!" He stood and put on his robe. He and Ron met Hermione and the others in the common room. There was a pile of gifts for everyone. Harry opened all of his, getting the usual Weasley sweater, his favorite one every year. But just when he thought he'd opened them all, getting the ooo's and ahh's due each one from his best friends, he saw one more, addressed to him. It was marked FROM: UNCLE VERNON.

AN :Well, how was that? It was based on Christmas Shoes, but not a song lyric in the entire thing. No violations. This is my Christmas fic for the year. Tell me what ya think hugs all


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